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. 2024 Mar 4;18(1):54-61.
doi: 10.14444/8566.

Quality Assessment of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy Information on the Internet

Leo Swee Liang Chong  1 , Mark Zhu  2 , Joseph Frederick Baker  2   3
Affiliations

Quality Assessment of Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy Information on the Internet

Leo Swee Liang Chong et al. Int J Spine Surg. .

Abstract

Background: Patient education is a key element of spinal surgery informed consent. Patients frequently access health information online, yet this information is unregulated and of variable quality. We aimed to assess the quality of information available on degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) websites with a focus on identifying high-quality information websites.

Methods: We performed a Google search using keywords pertaining to DCM. The top 50 websites returned were classified based on their publication source, intended audience, and country of origin. The quality of these websites was assessed using both the DISCERN instrument and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria. We also utilized a novel Myelopathy Information Scoring Tool (MIST) to assess the comprehensiveness, accuracy, and detail of online DCM information.

Results: The mean DISCERN score was 39.9 out of 80. Only one-quarter of these websites were rated "good" or "excellent" using DISCERN, and the remaining were rated "very poor," "poor," and "fair." The mean JAMA benchmark score was 1.6 out of 4, with 23 out of 50 websites scoring 0. Evaluation using MIST found a mean score of 25.6 out of 50. Using 30 points as a satisfactory MIST cutoff, 72% of DCM websites were deemed critically deficient and unsatisfactory for comprehensive patient education. Both DISCERN and MIST indicated poorest information pertaining to surgical risks and complications as well as treatment outcomes. Websites such as Orthoinfo.aaos.org and Myelopathy.org provided reliable, trustworthy, and comprehensive patient education.

Conclusions: Information available on almost three-quarters of DCM websites was of poor quality, with information regarding complications and treatment outcomes most deficient. Clinicians should be aware of quality sites where patients may be directed to augment patient education and surgical counseling.

Keywords: consumer health information; internet; myelopathy; patient education; spinal cord compression.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests : Leo S.L. Chong and Mark Zhu have nothing to disclose. Joseph F. Baker discloses that he has received teaching honoraria from Medtronic and grants/contracts from NuVasive, Medtronic, and Smith and Nephew (all paid to the institution). All authors were fully involved in the study and preparation of the manuscript. All authors declare this study is original and they have full rights in the study materials.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Myelopathy Information Scoring Tool score sheet.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Distribution of (A) DISCERN scores, (B) Journal of the American Medical Association scores, and (C) Myelopathy Information Scoring Tool scores for 50 websites.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mean individual component scores of (A) DISCERN and (B) Myelopathy Information Scoring Tool (MIST) for 50 websites.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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